Licence To Roam

Defender enjoying attacking role

Nineteen-year-old defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson has revealed to us that interim head coach Rob Edwards has given him license to roam after recalling him to the side.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s game against Derby County, the on-loan Manchester United defender says: “He (Rob) has given me more freedom to get on the ball definitely and that is what I like to do.

“I like to get on the ball, play with it and offer what I can to the team because I feel like I have that quality to do it. I think he has helped me to do that a lot.

“I started off as a centre midfielder and as I moved to United they saw I was tall so they moved me back into centre back but I have always been able to move the ball.

“I have been rotated between a few positions like central defensive midfield, centre back, left back and I will play wherever you want me to.”

And even though Edwards has been in charge of the first team for less than two weeks, Borthwick-Jackson admitted that things have changed in training.

“It is very energetic with him,” he says.

“He gives all the lads a boost, he is good for the confidence and stuff like that so I am happy under him, he is good.”

And after being recalled to the starting line-up for last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers, the England Under 19 international confirmed that he is looking to take more risks in the final third in order to help the team score more goals.

“I was thinking the other day I need to start taking more shots,” he said.

“I need to take more risks, especially in the final third, and then just tighten up at the back and you will see improvements every game.”

Borthwick-Jackson has been enjoying his loan spell, which has already undergone many ups and downs, even in such a short space of time.“It has been a little bit of a learning curve for me here but it is the same at United I suppose,” he explains.

“It is men’s football, you’re competing every week for a starting place so you have to keep high standards and keep pushing on.

“Competition is a big thing in football because it helps you improve every day.

“You need to make sure you are on it and hitting the high standards.

“You have got to learn how to lose game, to get results, to grind games out and stuff like that so it is a good learning curve being able to play mens football, especially in the Championship because

it is such a tough league.”

And he is expecting another tough assignment tomorrow when Derby County are the visitors (12.30pm).

“Derby are a good side,” he says.

“I remember them from last year, I played against them in the cup, so I know they have got some good players but we just need to be on our game.

“I feel we can dominate if we do the basics, do the stuff that we have been learning this week and I think we will do well.”

It is men’s football, you’re competing every week for a starting place so you have to keep high standards and keep pushing on